[Intro — signature riff (4 bars) / drums building]
(Instrumental — snarling electric guitar riff returns between vocal lines)
[Verse 1]
Roundhouse doors yawning, moonlight on the rails,
No. 452 sleeps with soot and silver tails.
Cutter torch at the gate, hungry for the name,
Rivets tell the story on every plate and frame.
Firebox cold but faithful, whistle in the dark,
Turntable knows each midnight turn and spark.
Grease on our fingers, a crooked wrench in hand,
We woke the thunder, dragged her back to life again.
[Pre-Chorus]
Cinders lift like prayers when the night wind sighs,
Hands climb to the cab — a fire behind our eyes.
We lift the regulator, feel the promise climb —
A rising chord that drives us to the line.
[Chorus]
Keep the steam alive — hear the iron sing!
Keep the steam alive — let the bell and pistons ring!
(Call) Keepers! — (Response) We keep the flame!
Ride the iron, feel the flame! (Ride the iron, feel the flame!)
[Verse 2]
Tender full of stories, brass plate marked and worn,
Replace the broken rods, tighten every bolt.
Tend the valve — main steam and regulator call,
Patch the cracked boiler skin, weld through one and all.
Welds bloom like constellations across the seam,
Pistons find their heartbeat, wheels remember steam.
From yard to siding, spike to flanged drive,
We roll the thunder back — we keep the past alive.
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Torchlight paints us gold, midnight swells to dawn,
We trade the cutter’s hunger for a louder song.
Raise the pressure slow, let the old bell sing strong —
Hold the line, lift the chorus, bring the people on.
[Chorus]
Keep the steam alive — hear the iron sing!
Keep the steam alive — let the bell and pistons ring!
(Call) Keepers! — (Response) We keep the flame!
Ride the iron, feel the flame! (Ride the iron, feel the flame!)
[Bridge — drop to bass + vocals]
Cutter hisses at the yard — a hungry metal groan,
Bass thumps like a heartbeat under rust and stone.
Call: “Are you with us?”
Response: “We keep the flame!”
Call: “Stand by No. 452!”
Response: “We know her name!”
[Build — guitar arpeggio swells, drums come back]
Welders whisper fire, sparks like tiny suns,
We stitch iron hearts until the last turn's done.
Sing it for the roundhouse, sing it for the men,
Shout it for the long run — bring her back again.
[Guitar Solo — scorching lead over driving rhythm (16 bars)]
(Use signature riff as motif, then soar into new phrase, land back on riff)
[Final Chorus — full band, bigger harmonies]
Keep the steam alive — hear the iron sing!
Keep the steam alive — let the bell and pistons ring!
(Call) Keepers! — (Response) We keep the flame!
Ride the iron, feel the flame! (Ride the iron, feel the flame!)
Keep the steam alive — hear the iron sing!
Keep the steam alive — together we remain!
(Call) Stand with us! — (Response) You’ll ride again!
Ride the iron, feel the flame!
[Outro]
Roundhouse doors open to a rising sun,
No. 452 breathes — the long run’s begun.
Escape the cutter torch — a story carved in flam
